Spiraea salicifolia, commonly known as willow-leaved meadowsweet, is a deciduous shrub native to a variety of habitats including wet meadows, stream banks, and forest edges in east-central Europe, Kazakhstan, Siberia, the Russian Far East, Mongolia, northern China, Korea, and Japan. It has been introduced to other parts of Europe and eastern North America. Willow-leaved meadowsweet typically grows to a height of 3-6 feet (0.9-1.8 meters) with a similar spread and features narrow, willow-like leaves. From June to July, it produces clusters of small, pink to white flowers that are attractive to pollinators.

This shrub is valued for its ease of maintenance and ability to thrive in a range of conditions, including wet soils. It is often used for naturalizing in wet areas, as a component of mixed shrub borders, or for erosion control along waterways. Willow-leaved meadowsweet prefers full sun to part shade and can tolerate a variety of soil types, provided they are moist. It is generally pest and disease resistant but can be prone to leaf spot and powdery mildew. Care should be taken when planting Spiraea salicifolia outside its native range, as it can become invasive and outcompete native vegetation.CC BY-SA 4.0